MEGADETH's DAVE MUSTAINE: 'I Am Really Grateful To Have A Job That I Love'

"I think we all are aware of the quality of [MEGADETH's new album] 'Endgame', and I attribute that to hard work, perseverance, and following my heart, instead of worrying about what the label is going to say, our what the people at radio or cable think.

"I usually don't read any interviews, or reviews of MEGS, because, for every dozen good reviews or interviews I see, there are going to be one that is unfair, and therefore I just stopped reading them. So, today my manager sent me an email from some f*cking retard about a review from some guy who was a former editor, and now is a freelance writer. I guess the irony is when he was licking the label's butt he said that he 'liked the record a whole fucking lot' — his words, not mine. I am afraid I don't agree with his claim — his review does not even remotely resemble someone who 'liked the record a whole fucking lot.'

"I wasn't going to go against my standards of reading this stuff, but I figured that no one would be that stupid to send bad press through my management with it ending up on my screen, and after the first sentence I knew that this was going to be a review by someone who is a self-important, self-centered pen pusher and stopped reading it.

"In contrast, I am going on record now to say a very public thank you to Michelle Kerr and Roadrunner's U.K. division, as well as the wonderful staff with German label. I am regretful that we are not getting the same kind of coverage elsewhere, but we are working our asses off to write and play the best we can.

"The purpose of this post was to just let you know that there are tons of great publications from overseas that you can read that are fair, and although not all of it is gushing accolades, I think that the label and many of the journalists that I have done press with so far internationally have made this the greatest promotional campaign I have done in many, many years.

"We still have 13 days until release and we are going to start trying to get the press that we had with these two important territories for us here in America. I am going to ask Dave McRobb [MEGADETH's webmaster] to get as many links as he can from our friends in England and Germany from all of the fantastic press (the level and quality of the publications were top notch!) and give you something to read about the record, since it is seemingly not as easy to find any press here at home. It's really a bummer that this is happening, but it is my responsibility, and I think with all of our friends here in the U.S. that it should be real easy to make up for the lost momentum.

"Now to change the subject: I have been talking to James [Lomenzo, bass] about what songs I want to add to our set, so that we could be able to change around our songs every night. I just don't know how to go about mixing up the set-list every night.

"I am so used to the pace of the show being planned out, and since the MEGA-SLAYER gigs [in Australia and New Zealand] are just going to be 60-70 minutes a night, I want to make sure that I don't waste any precious time.

"I asked James to come by the studio, and we picked another song from 'Killing Is My Business' to play live. Problem is that those songs are from so long ago and my voice has changed. It's not that I can't do it, it is that I sang those songs when I was just 23.

"We are going to basically go through all of the albums that we are supporting and see about which songs we want to add.

"I would usually ask you for a poll or a vote or something, but you are not going to know which songs I can sing anymore or not. There is a bright side . . .

"I have been privileged enough to have toured several times with MACHINE HEAD, and my friend Robb Flynn, the front man and also the presenter to me of my Golden God award from Revolver magazine, had been next to our dressing rooms many times in his own dressing room and I would hear him each night warming up his voice. Now it strikes me as odd that a singer would warm up his voice and sound like a singer and then go out and rage, but I think this is a great thing that Robb is doing, and I started doing it after several days of hearing him do it. So now I warm up my voice for almost 30 minutes each night before I go on stage. Having said that, there is a little more range to my vocals now then there was last year, and with my workout routine, and the incredible nutrients that I have been taking to strengthen my bones and re-establish healthy habits, eating, drinking, and partying. In fact I am almost as healthy as I was at any time during the last ten years. I am back at my normal training weight and although sometimes when I am kicking and punching my bones sound like a pillow case with billiard balls inside of it clacking around, I am really happy that I am still alive, still healthy, and starting out on a new adventure in just a matter of a few days. :-)

"I usually say, 'There's a lot of stuff coming up and check back soon,' so here is what is coming up:

* Release of 'Endgame'* Debut of 'Head Crusher' video 'Extreme Dave Mustaine cut,' and a U.S. and U.K. version* Jimmy Fallon* Australia* New Zealand* Japan* Megadeth Radio: Predictably Unpredictable in October* North American dates* HOLIDAY BREAK* North American dates* Autobiography* Europe and U.K. festivals* South America

"There is also going to be a lot of footage filmed in the next few weeks for www.askdavemustaine.com for some new answers, because I am sure that there are enough people who have sat there for a few days to try to turn the site into something uncool.

"I don't take for granted how smart these little fleas are, but I would miss it if they weren't there.

"I am going to be filming a lot of footage for the fan club, for TheLiveLine, and behind the scenes footage from filming 'Head Crusher', as well as interviews of the cast. There are also several short clips for Dean Guitars, Marshall Amps, and several of my other endorsers. I am going to be putting up my guitar tablature that I officially approve myself.

"I remember seeing this goon named Wolf something who transcribed 'Holy Wars', and he didn't make it 12 notes before he made a mistake. I can only think how many people have seen this and think it is right, when it clearly is not. So, Chris [Broderick, guitar] and I are both going to be uploading guitar lessons (so to speak) on our TheLiveLine profiles.

"My guitar tech, Willie Gee, comes in today from Chicago to start getting the touring rigs all set-up, and to go over all of our supplies for the tour.

"Jeez, there are so many things that go into a tour. Sometimes I forget how much there really is, and each time we go up again in status, I get just a few more footpounds of torque added to my mental pressures.

"I am off to the beach to get some color and go for a run. I am then off to the studio to keep preparing for the Academy, and then off to meet a mentor about some personal issues that have cropped up again.

"We should have some new footage up here at Megs.com and I am going to be working feverishly on this for the next few days until I can complete what is left of my workload. Until the next dumptruck of work is dumped in my lap, that is.

"I am really grateful to have a job that I love, and that I can have people to talk to, as well as the exciting stuff I see every day that sets us apart from the other bands on the road or in the studio. Although we may do a lot of the same stuff as other bands, we try to really give value for our products and experiences with meeting the band at our ILOVEALLACCESS.COM events that we are planning for the beginning of 2010.

"I have to get moving now, so to the press that have been fair, thank you. To the press that have been unfair, thank you too, but do we really need to go so far out of your way to be mean-spirited? If you don't like me or MEGS, then don't interview us.

"It doesn't really matter to me if I add someone to my little black book, because there are literally hundreds and thousands of writers that can write reviews of records or concerts, and can say that he didn't like it, without going so far out of his way to slag me, and giving himself head in the article."

30-second audio samples of all the tracks that will appear on MEGADETH's new album, "Endgame", are available for streaming on Amazon.de (scroll down).

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